Starz Orders 'Gritty' Ballet Drama Flesh and Bone

Starz has ordered to series Flesh and Bone, a “dark and gritty” drama that promises to “unflinchingly explore the dysfunction and glamour of the ballet world.”

Created by Emmy-winning Breaking Bad scribe Moira Walley-Beckett, the series follows a young dancer, Claire (played by the School of American Ballet/American Ballet Theatre-trained Sarah Hay, pictured), who contends with a distinctly troubled past just as she joins a prestigious ballet company in New York.

“From the beginning, we all agreed this project could not go forward unless we found a world-class dancer who had the ability to convey the widest range of emotions that Moira has written,” Starz CEO Chris Albrecht said in a statement. “This is one of the most challenging and dynamic characters I have ever seen and am thrilled to say we found our ‘Claire’ in Ms. Hay.”

The cast also includes former American Ballet Theatre principal Irina Dvorovenko and current soloist Sascha Radetsky, while American Ballet Theatre alum Ethan Stiefel (Center Stage) will serve as a choreographer.